Apparatus for constructing sea walls



May 22, 1934. J. a. BROCKHURST APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SEA WALLS 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct 10 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 22, 1934.

J. B. BROCKHURST APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SEA WALLS Filed Oct. 10, 1930 35 abbom May 22, 1934.

J. B. BROCKHURST ,959,812 APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SEA WALLS Filed Oct. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 avwemtoz Patented May 22, 1934 NITED STATES APPARATUS FOR CONSTBUCTING SEA WALLS James B. Brockhurst, Red Bank, N. J.

Application October 10,

21 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for constructing sea walls such as breakwaters, piers and jetties.

My improved apparatus for constructing the sea Wall is preferably in its essential features the same as a heavy excavator of the full revolving type to which are added additional elements more perfectly fitting the same for the purpose. This apparatus is mounted upon the sea wall during its construction and performs its functions at a point close to the edge of the wall in course of formation. The improved apparatus utilizes mechanism by which it may be propelled along the top surface of the wall as the same is progressively constructed. It employs mechanism by Which the pile may be brought into alinement with the piles already placed and at the desired distance from the pile last placed, and also by means of which the pile so alined and spaced may be driven to the desired extent into the bottom.

The apparatus also comprises means by which the massive blocks may be lowered into place and by means of which a sufficient erosion or removal of the bottom may be effected as to permit the lower block of each tier to be located the desired distance below the top line of the wall, so that when the succeeding blocks of each tier are introduced into place the top of the wall will remain horizontal.

In general, my improved apparatus comprises means by which the two fixed members or piles of each tier may be spaced apart with a predetermined interval between them substantially equal to but not less than the length of the nonfixed members or blocks; means by which the piles so spaced may be driven or forced into the bottom; and means by. which the blocks may be readily handled and positioned, with a minimum of manual labor.

My improved apparatus also embodies important details of construction by reason of which it is more effectively adapted to perform the desired functions and which will be more fully hereinr after described.

In order that my invention may be understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved apparatus carried upon a sea wall in the course of construction and showing one of the massive blocks being lowered into place.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the sea wall and through the center of the apparatus,

1930, Serial No. 487,830

illustrating the manner of driving or placing a pile.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section partly in elevation, the section being taken through the center of the pivoted sleeve carrying the mechanism by which the pile is rotated.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the center line of a crawling roller hereinafter referred to, and by means of which the apparatus is propelled along the top surface of the sea wall.

Figure 5 is a detail section on the line of 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a separate vertical sectional View through one of the piles illustrating the procedure which is to be followed when the length of the pile requires that it shall be made of a plurality of sections.

Figure 7 is a plan View of the top block of a tier.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the top block of 2. tier where it is required that the sea wall shall extend at right angles to the portion thereof already constructed.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the top block shown in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a plan view of one of the blocks constituting 2. tier and located below the top block of Figure '7.

Figure 11 is a plan of one of the corner blocks constituting the tier below the top block of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is an end elevation of one of the blocks of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the preferred form of pile. 90

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional View of the same.

' Figure 15 is a side view of one of the H irons employed in the interior construction of the wall as will be hereinafter described.

Figure 16 is a top view of the same.

Figure 17 is a detailed section more fully illustrating the alining mechanism for accurately locating the apparatus with respect to the pile to be driven and Figure 18 is a plan view of the guide member for alining the jet pipes.

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same reference numerals.

Referring, for example, to Figure 2, my im- 105 proved sea wall comprises a series of piles 1--1 forced into the bottom to the required extent, said piles being in alinement, parallel and equidistantly spaced. In Figure 2, at the left, a pile is shown as being placed in position with respect 110 to so much of the sea wall as may have been completed. Preferably the piles are H shaped in cross section (see Figures 13 and 14) having flanges 22 and web 3, but obviously other forms may be employed. Wherever the capacity of the apparatus will permit the use of one piece or integral piles, say thirty feet in length as a maximum, it is desirable that such one piece piles should be used, but I will hereafter describe the procedure tobe followed when it becomes necessary to employ a double or two piece pile.

At the bottom of the pile is shown a boring tool 4 having four wedge-shaped webs, which tool is bolted to the web 3 of the pile. If the bottom into which the pile is driven is of such a character as not to require the use of a boring tool, the latter will be omitted.

When a pile is placed in position, the flanges 22 will extend parallel with the wall, the webs 33 being at right angles theretoas shown in Figure 2. -When metal piles are used they are suitably waterproofed, although of course they are further protected against erosion and deterioration by being sealed within the sea wall and bottom as I will hereafter explain. Metal piles are preferred although in some instances it may be desirable to make use'ofwood, preferably long leaf yellow pine.

After a pile has been-equi-distantly spaced and driven to the desired depth a tier of massive blocks is formed by lowering said blocks into position between the piles as in Figure 2. Three of such tiers are shown, each being formed of three blocks, but obviously the number of blocks used will depend upon their size and desired height of the wall. As I have stated, in some instances only a single block may be necessary. These blocks are massive and each may-weigh several'tons. They are precast in suitable molds for the purpose, preferably of concrete employing Portland or other hydraulic cement. They may be reinforced if desired.

The upper block 5 of a tier is shown in Figures -'7 and 9, being rectangular in shape and provided with a channel 6 in its upper face, with somewhat narrower channels '77 in its end faces, and with a channel 8 on its bottom face. The channels 7-7 are formed each with a vertical notch or groove 9 for guiding and alining the chain used in lowering the blocks into place, as will be hereinafter described. The blocks 10 shown in Figures 10 and 12 are identical with the blocks 5 except that the channel 11 in the upper face is somewhat narrower than the channel 6 being in fact the same width as the channel '7 in each of the end faces of the block 5. The reason for this greater Width of the channel 6 in the top block will be presently explained.

When the blocks are in position the end channels '7 thereof will straddle the flanges 22 of the piles, whereby the end faces of adjacent tiers will come into engagement as shown in Figure 1 to form a smooth, continuous and substantially sandtight wall. It" will be seen that when the blocks are placed in tiers the bottom channel of the top block 5 will coincide with the top channel 11 of the block 10 next below, and that the bottom channel of this latter block will coincide with the top channel 11 of a block 10 below the same.

Within the channels thus formed are located metal sections 12, preferably H shaped in cross section, with flanges 13 and webs 14. (See Figures 15 and 16.) They are also provided with notches 15 corresponding with notches 9 where the chain passes, and with cutaway sections 16 for a purpose to be described.

After the blocks have been placed in position, and settling has taken place, cement grout is introduced as shown at 17, in Figure 2. This grout fills the space Within the flanges of the pile as well as the spaces on each side of the flange 14 of the members 12, and by reason of the recesses 16 in the latter, the grout can pass on down so as to form a very strong, rigid, nonresisting and durable structure. Preferably the grout is introduced from the bottom up under well known practice, as in this way the mix does not thin, but forces the water out of the channels.

When the blocks are placed in position, it will be obvious that the channel 6 in the upper block will be exposed and this channel is filled by H sections 18, bolted or otherwise secured to the upper ends of the piles as shown clearly in Figure 2. The flanges of this section straddle the pile, and it is for this reason that channel 6 is made wider than the channel 7. In practice the girders 18 may be as long as 90 feet and may straddle a substantial number of piles before a joint becomes necessary. The joints are welded when that is practical and bolted when welding cannot be done. The placing of these metal sections 18 may be done after the entire wall is complete or from time to time as one or more tiers are completed. Each section 18 is formed with an opening 19 through which grout may be introduced so as to fill the space below the web of said section.

Referring now to the apparatus employed in constructing my improved sea wall, it will be seen that it partakes generally of the construction of a common type of full circle excavator with certain additions and modifications.

The apparatus comprises a platform 20 having a suitable housing 21 and adapted to turn with respect to the center of a circular rack 22 carried upon a base or chassis 23, (see Figure 2). To properly support the platform 20 it is carried upon a series of rollers 24 running on a track 25. This track is clearly shown in Figure 2, and two of the supporting rollers are shown in Figure 1.

Mounted upon the platform 20 is a motor 26, (preferably a high speed internal combustion engine) driving the-main shaft 27. A pulley 28 on the main shaft 27 may beemployed for driving a dynamo, 120, when welding operations are .to be performed. Pinion 29 on said main shaft meshes with and drives a gear 30. The latter gear turns the shaft 31 on which is mounted the two bevel gears 32 or 33. By means of clutches 34 and 35 either of the bevel gears 32 or 33 may be connected to and driven by shaft 31. The two gears 32 and 33 mesh with bevel gear 36 on vertical shaft 37. (See Fig. 2.) Keyed to the shaft 37 is a pinion 38 meshing with and driving horizontal gear 39. By means of a clutch 40, the latter gear may be connected to shaft 41 carrying pinion 42 which meshes with the circular rack 22 above referred to.

The mechanism so far described permits the apparatus to be turned to any desired extent and if required through a complete circle, that is to say, by operating clutch 40, the gear 39 will be in position to rotate the apparatus by the engagement of pinion 42 with the rack 22. By operating the clutch 34 the bevel gear 32 will rotate the shaft 37 in one direction, and by operating the clutch 35 that shaft will be operated in the other direction. In this way, the platform 20 will be swung in one direction or the other to the desired extent and stopped in its movement by releasing any one of the clutches referred to.

Means are preferably employed by which the apparatus may be locked in any desired position of adjustment. The base in which the rack 22 is formed is preferably provided with a series of holes 43, four being shown in Figure 4, and a heavy pin 44 carried by the platform 20 is adapted to be engaged with any one of these holes so as to lock the apparatus rigidly in its position of adjustment as shown in Figure 5.

In order to propel the apparatus in either direction, I employ a gear 45 adapted to be connected by clutch 46 to a vertical shaft 47 forming the center around which the platform 20 turns, as above explained. The shaft 47 carries a bevel pinion 48 meshing with a bevel gear 49 on the shaft 50. The shaft 50 is provided at opposite ends with a sprocket 51 over which runs sprocket chans 52 to the sprocket wheels 53 on two crawling rollers 54 and 55. These crawling rollers 54 and 55 turn freely on a shaft 56 fixedly mounted in the side frames 56. At the forward end of the machine, a fixed shaft 57 carries the two crawler rollers 5858 and on the several crawler rollers are heavy sprockets 59 by which tractors 59 are driven in the well known way. As is common in the art the shaft 50 is provided with differential and braking mechanism (not shown) by means of which the two sets of caterpillar tractors may be driven at different speeds, whereby the ma chine may be steered.

When the apparatus is to be used for moving from place to place or from one job to another, the tractors will carry it along in the usual way, but when it is employed in constructing a sea wall, the tractors 59 overhang the wall as shown in Figure 4, while the crawling rollers 54-55 58-58' rest upon the wall, so as to give a very solid support for the apparatus. By operating either clutch 34 or 35 the direction in which the apparatus is to be propelled will be determined.

It will be observed that the rollers 54-55- 5858 are flanged and that the outside flanges engage the outer upper edges of the wall while the inside flanges engage the sides of the channel 7 in the top blocks.

My improved apparatus next comprises means by which a pile may properly be manceuvred into position in line with the piles which have already been placed and by which also the pile may be rotated so as to facilitate the driving of the same. The rotation of the pile is effected from the gear 45 which meshes with and drives a smaller gear so adapted to be connected by a clutch 61 to a shaft 62 to which is keyed a gear 68, meshing with a gear 64 on shaft 65. This shaft has splined to it a bevel pinion 66 (see Figures 2 and 3) meshing with a bevel gear 67 on shaft 68. Pivotally mounted upon this shaft 68 is a hollow sleeve 69 normally horizontal, but adapted to be raised or lowered by cable 70 passing around a Windlass or drum 71 and controlled by a suitable clutch, not shown. In operation, in driving a pile the sleeve 69 is horizontal but it may be raised up out of the way when the blocks are being manoeuvred and lowered into position.

The bevel gear 67 drives a bevel gear 72 keyed to shaft 73 located within the sleeve 69. The outer end of this shaft 78 carries a bevel pinion 74 meshing with and driving a circular rack on a spool 75, the latter being carried within a divided casing 76 (see Figure 3) mounted at the outer end of the sleeve 69. The opening within the spool is adapted to receive the pile 1 and rotate the same. It will be seen that by operating the clutch 61 the pile will thus be rotated through the gearing 6364-6667--7274 and 75.

In order to manoeuvre the pile and permit the latter to descend into the bottom as it is turned, I make use of a boom 77 swinging from the center of the shaft 68 (see Figure 3) and having a cable 78. The boom 77 is operated by cable 121 and Windlass 122 (Figure 2). The cable preferably passing around a plurality of pulleys in order to give increased leverage leads to a drum 79 controlled by a clutch not shown. At the lower end of the pulley system is a heavy hook 80 engaging an alining section 81 which is connected to the pile in any suitable way, such as by a latch 82.

The pile is moved out on the wall, by means of a suitable truck or other device, and the apparatus is then swung shoreward, so that the pile with the alining section 81 may be conveniently caught onto the hook 80, after which the pile is raised above the sleeve 69 and its lower end lowered within the spool 75 and swung clear of the wall. The apparatus is then reversed so as to carry the pile to the exact point where it is to be placed. In thus handling the pile, the alining section may be separately placed in position thereon, in which case it simply becomes necessary to engage the hook 80 in place, or instead the alining section may be hooked in place and then swung shoreward, for removable attachment to the pile. The alining section 81 is provided with a collar 83 (see Figure 2) which when it comes into engagement with the upper surface of the housing 76 will limit and exactly determine the degree of penetration of the pile.

Thereafter the latch 82 is released so as to free the alining section from the pile. It will be noted that the hook 80 is mounted upon ballbearings 84 (Figure 2) so that there will be no twisting of the cable 78 when the pile is being rotated.

Preferably in order to facilitate the placing of the pile I utilize powerful jets of water 85-86 for the purpose of loosening the bottom material which has to be penetrated. Water is supplied to the jets through pipes 8788 (see Figure 6) leading to couplings 89 and 90 as clearly shown in Figure 3. In order to guide these two pipes and keep them stationary, but quite close to the rotating pile, they are passed down through openings 91 in guide member 92 (see Figure 18). In other words, the guide member 92 does not follow the movements of the pipes 87-88 in coming down with the pile but rests upon the sand or other superstratum so as to straddle the hole formed by the pile (see Figure 6). The two couplings 8990 are connected by a pipe 93 so as to equalize the pressure between the two (Figure 3). Water is supplied to the couplings and therefore to the pipes 87-88 and jets 85-86 through pipes 9495 leading from centrifugal pumps 9697 on the main shaft 27, the suction conduit 98 to been placed, the cable 99 draws up the pipes 87-88 out of the way, the enlarged heads of the jets 85--86 lifting up the guide member 92 to a position clear of the bottom. After the pile has been thus placed vertically in alignment with the wall and the required distance from the pile last placed, then follows the operation by which the blocks are laid in a tier.

This involves the release of the latch 82 to disconnect the alining section 81 from the pile, the elevation of the section 81 from the spool 25, the elevation of the sleeve 69 with the parts carried thereby by means of the cable 70, and the elevation of the pipes 8788 by the cable 99.

A block similar to that shown in Figures 10 and 12 is now encircled by a heavy chain 101 which engages the notches 9 therein and also the notch 15 in metal section 12, the latter being located within the channel 8 of said block. This block is moved in a position behind or on the shore side of the apparatus on a suitable truck for the purpose, not shown, and the apparatus is then swung around 180 degrees and the heavy hook 80 is engaged with said chain. This hook is controlled by cable 78 and drum 79 as I have heretofore pointed out.

The apparatus being driven through an angle of 180 degrees the hook 80 is engaged with the chain 101 and the Windlass 79 is operated to raise the block, after which the apparatus is swung around to its original position, the angle of the boom '77 being adjusted through cable 121 and Windlass 122 to bring the block centrally between the two piles.

The block is now permitted to drop into place, the vertical channels 7 straddling the flanges of the two piles. In this descent, in the case of the lowest block of the tier, it is desirable to employ a stream of water which will tend to erode and remove solid material to permit the block to reach the desired position.

For this purpose I make use of a jet 102 (see Figure 1) carried at the lower end of a metal pipe 103 which goes down with the block, being located in the channel 7 thereof in which the chain 101 is also located. A flexible pipe 104 from metal pipe 103 leads to one of the pumps 96 or 97 (see Figure 1) so that water will be forced thereby under pressure to scour out and remove solid material. Preferably a second metal pipe 105 is employed having a mouth 106 and connected by a similar flexible pipe 107 to the other pump. At this pump the connections are reversed so that the pipe 107 leads to the suction of the second pump. Therefore, any material loosened and removed by means of the jet 102 will be drawn by suction through the mouth 106 and discharged by the second pump.

Ordinarily, it would be possible to handle with an apparatus, such as I have described, piles having a maximum length of about 30 feet and under normal conditions such a pile would be sufliciently long for the purpose. In case, however, a longer pile has to be employed I may weld two of them together or otherwise secure the same. In order that this may be understood attention is directed to Figure 6.

Here is shown the divided casing 76 above referred to located at the end of the tubular boom 69. A pile I is introduced in and lowered through the spool being supported thereby in any suitable way as for example, by angle irons 108-109 as shown in Figure 6, these angle irons being temporarily bolted to the pile. In this way the pile will be supported by the divided casing and hence the hook may be released and connected to a second pile 110 which will be lined up with pile I and bolted or otherwise secured to the same.

In Figure 6 I show the two piles as being bolted or riveted together, but ordinarily I prefer to electrically weld them by current supplied from dynamo 120 driven from pulley 28. After the two piles have been thus secured together to form a very long composite pile the apparatus is swung around to the proper position, the angle irons 108, 109 are removed and the pile as a whole is then handled in the way above explained.

I have heretofore pointed out that the horizontal sleeve or tubular boom 69 and head '76 determine the exact positioning of the pile but in order to do this it is of course necessary that the apparatus as a whole shall be accurately located in its proper relative place. To this end I employ a heavy alining stop 111 pivoted on the shaft 57 and adapted to come into contact with the shoreward face of the web of the pile as shown in Figure 2. This alining stop is provided with a hinged latch 112 adapted to drop over the Web of the pile (Figure 2) so as thus to lock the apparatus as a whole in accurate position. The alining stop 111 is provided with flanges 113 which are spaced suiilciently apart as to straddle the flanges of the pile. These alining elements are too heavy to be conveniently handled manually but they can be readily operated by the hook 80 as shown in Figure 17. When the apparatus is to pass on over the completed tier, the alining mechanism is moved to the position shown in Figure 1'7 out of the path of the pile. When the apparatus is to be driven upon and by the caterpillar tractors 59, 59, as for instance in going from one job to another, the alining mechanism as a whole is swung on the shaft 57, past its vertical axis, so as to rest against the adjacent wall of the chassis 23.

When it is desired to run the Wall in a perpendicular direction, the blocks of the last tier are of the form shown in Figures 8 and 11. These blocks correspond with the blocks 5 and 10 respectively except that the top block 114 is provided with a channel 115 and both the top and lower blocks are formed with a vertical channel 116 semi-circular in cross section whereby when this tier has been built a curved vertical channel will be formed throughout its entire depth. This channel serves as a guide for the first pile that is to be placed for the perpendicular wall, that pile being placed by the apparatus in the way already described. Work thereafter on the perpendicular Wall proceeds as before.

In Letters Patent No. 1,877,493, dated September 13, 1932 I have described improvements in sea wall construction in which the massive blocks are cast in situ instead of precast as with my present invention. In constructing a sea wall of precast blocks, it may sometimes happen as, for instance, when the wall is started from two distant points and two machines are working toward each other, that the ultimate space between the two walls will be greater or less than that which would be fitted with a precast block of uniform size and in that event the method disclosed in my prior application can be very conveniently called into play, since by casting the blocks in situ, they may be made of any desired size.

The method of my former application may also be conveniently resorted to in realining a sea wall in which some of the tiers have settled or have been otherwise brought out of horizontal alinement. In that case, blocks or sections thereof required to restore alinement may be cast in situ without in any way disturbing the metal work.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a construction of sea wall suitable for breakwaters, jetties, piers or the like possessing great strength and resistance and at the same time employing a minimum amount of material. The wall being made principally of heavy concrete blocks maintains its position by gravity as well as by reason of the grouted joint between the blocks and the piles.

In consequence, there is no tendency of a wall to be displaced by any factor of buoyancy, as is the case when wood is used for the purpose. It will also be seen that I have provided a very practical apparatus requiring but little manual labor whereby I am enabled to construct the wall economically and expeditiously.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall the combination with a sea wall consisting of a line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting a broad fiat surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, an arm carried by said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and turning a pile, means for rotating said spool, two pressure pipes vertically movable with respect to said spool for supplying jets of water under pressure in advance of the turning pile and on opposite sides thereof, means for raising and lowering said pipes simultaneously, an equalizing pipe between said movable pipes to equalize pressure therein and a crane cooperating with the pivotal movement of the platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to said spool.

2. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks presenting a broad fiat surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of the sea wall, of a pivoted platform, an arm carried by said platform, a rotatable spool carried by said arm for engaging and rotating a pile, an aligning member removably connected to the pile and a stop on said aligning member adapted to engage said spool for limiting the downward movement of said pile.

3. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding said piles and presenting a broad flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of the sea wall, of a pivotal platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane, means for propelling the same forward or backward, means carried by the platform for placing the pile and a, crane carried by the platform for engaging successive piles in the'rear of the platform and presenting them to the pile placing mechanism, said crane being moved to its two positions by pivotal movements of the platform.

4. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding said piles and presenting a broad. flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane,

means for propelling the same forward and backward, a pivoted arm on said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and rotating a pile, gearing for rotating said spool and a crane carried by said platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to said spool, said crane being movable to its two positions by the pivotal movement of said platform.

5. In an apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding said piles and presenting a broad flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane, means for propelling the same forward and backward, a pivoted arm on said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and rotating a pile, a driving gear arranged concentrically with the pivot of said arm, a gear carried by said spool, intermediate gearing between the driving and driven gears and a crane for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform, said crane being moved to its two positions by reason of the pivotal movement of said platform.

6. In apparatus for the construction of a sea Wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding said piles and presenting a broad flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane, means for propelling the same forward and backward, a pivoted arm on said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and rotating a pile, gearing for rotating said spool, a common motor for propelling the platform forward and backward, for imparting rotary movement to the same in a horizontal plane and for rotating said spool, and a crane carried by said platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to said spool, said crane being moved to its two positions by the pivotal movement of said platform.

I. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination of a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks sur-' rounding the pile and presenting a broad fiat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of the sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted. upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane, means carried by the platform for placing the pile, a crane carried by the platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to the pile placing mechanism, said crane also engaging successive blocks in the rear of the platform and presenting them in position between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, and means for propelling the platform in a forward direction onlyduring the construction of the sea wall.

8. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding said piles and presenting a broad flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the'construction of the sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, an arm carried by said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and turning a pile, means for rotating said spool, two pressure pipes movable vertically with respect to said spool for supplying jets of water in advance of the turning pile and on opposite sides thereof, means for raising and lowering said pipe simultaneously, means for equalizing the water pressure in said pipes and a crane carried by the platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to said spool, said crane being movable to its two positions by reason of the pivotal movement of said platform.

9. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting a broad fiat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of the sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, an arm carried by said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and turning a pile, means for rotating said spool, two pressure pipes vertically movable with respect to said spool for supplying jets of water under pressure in advance of the turning pile and on opposite sides thereof, two pumps for supplying water under pressure to said pressure pipes, a crane carried by said platform for engaging successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to said spool, said crane also engaging blocks in the rear of the platform and placing them in position between the pile last mentioned and the preceding pile and separate jet and suction pipes for scouring material in the path of the descending block, the former being connected to the pressure side of one of said pumps and the latter being connected to the suction side of the other pump.

10. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a'tier of blocks in the space between the pile last mentioned and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the pile and presenting a broad fiat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform rotatable in a horizontal plane, means carried by said platform for aligning and placing a series of parallel vertical equi-distant piles, endless treads constituting the normal driving means for the platform and overhanging the sides of the wall during the construction of the latter so as to preserve the apparatus from dislodgement and a series of crawler rollers engaging the upper surface of the wall and constituting a secondary means of propulsion and support, said crawler rollers being located in a plane above the bottom of the endless treads.

11. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, thecombination with a sea wall consisting of a single straight line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting two broad flat surfaces upon which the apparatus is carried, said surfaces being separated by a channel in the upper face of the wall, of a pivoted platform rotatable in a horizontal plane, means carried by said platform for aligning and placing a series of parallel equidistantly spaced piles, two series of crawler rollers engaging the two upper surfaces of the wall, said rollers having flanges located within said channel and having flanges engaging the outer side of the Wall and constituting means of propulsion and support for said pivoted platform. I

12. In an apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a single line of equidistantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting two broad flat continuous surfaces upon which the apparatus is carried, said surfaces being separated by a channel in the upper face of the wall, of a pivoted platform rotatable in a horizontal plane, means carried by said platform for aligning and placinga series of parallel equidistantly spaced piles, endless treads constituting the normal driving means for the platform and overhanging the sides of the wall during the construction thereof and two series of crawler rollersengaging the upper surfaces of the wall, said rollers having flanges located within said channel and having flanges engaging the outer surface of the wall and being on a plane above said endless treads and constituting a secondary means of propulsion and support.

'13. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a single line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting a broad-flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform movable in a horizontal plane, an arm carried by said platform, a spool carried by said arm for engaging and turning the pile, means for rotating said spool, a crane for-supporting the pile while being moved from a position behind the platform and into line with said spool, said crane also supporting said blocks while being manoeuvred into position between the pile last driven and the preceding pile.

14. In apparatus for the construction of a sea wall, the combination with a sea wall consisting of a line of equi-distantly spaced piles and a tier of blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile, said blocks surrounding the piles and presenting a broad flat continuous surface upon which the apparatus is carried in the construction of a sea wall, of a pivoted platform mounted upon the wall and occupying a predetermined position with respect to the pile last mentioned, means for moving said platform pivotally in a horizontal plane, means for propelling the same forward and backward, means carried by the platform for-placing the successive piles, a crane cooperating with the pivotal movement of the platform for engaging the successive piles in the rear of the platform and presenting them to the pile placing mechanism and also engaging successive blocks in the space between the pile last driven and the preceding pile.

15. In apparatus for constructing sea walls the combination of a mobile support, a pivoted platform carried by said support and movable in a horizontal plane, an arm extending from said support and movable in a vertical plane, a spool mounted near the outer end of said arm rotatable in a horizontal plane and gearing extending between the said pivoted platform and said spool for rotating the latter.

16. In apparatus for constructing sea walls, the combination of a mobile support, a pivoted platform carried thereby and rotatable in a horizontal plane, an arm extending from said support and movable in a vertical plane, a spool carried by said arm near its outer end and movable in a horizontal plane, a horizontal gear carried by said spool, a vertical gear carried by the platform concentric with the pivot of said arm and intermediate gearing for rotating said spool.

17. In apparatus for constructing sea walls,

the combination of two mobile supports of diiferent speed ratios, common means for driving said supports, a pivoted platform carried by said supports and movable in a horizontal plane and pile placing mechanism carried by said platform.

18. In apparatus for constructing sea walls the combination of two mobile supports of different speed ratios, common means for driving said supports, a pivoted platform carried by said supports and movable in a horizontal plane, an arm carried by said support and movable in a vertical plane, a spool at the end of said arm and means for rotating said spool from said support.

19. In apparatus for constructing sea walls, the combination with a mobile support, a pivoted platform carried by said support and movable in a horizontal plane, two centrifugal pumps mounted upon said platform and means whereby said pumps may force two pressure jets of water in advance of a descending pile or a pressure and suction effect in advance of descending blocks.

20. In apparatus for constructing sea walls, the combination of a mobile support, a pivoted platform carried by said support movable in a horizontal plane, means carried by said support for placing the pile and a latch for positively looking the apparatus against forward movement.

21. In apparatus for constructing sea Walls, the combination of a mobile support, a pivoted platform carried by said support movable in a horizontal plane, means carried by said support for placing the pile and a latch for positively locking the apparatus against forward and rearward movement.

JAMES B. BROCKHURST. 

